SEEKING SEVEN STRAIGHT WINSWinners of six straight, the UIC women’s basketball team (6-2) looks to match the best nine-game start in program history Wednesday (Dec. 18) when the Flames play at Western Michigan (3-5). Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT inside University Arena. A win would match the 2001-02 squad for the best nine-game start (7-2) in the Division I era.

The Flames’ 6-2 record is the best start in 12 seasons and equals the best eight-game start in the Division I era. Since UIC became a Division I member in 1980-81, the Flames have been 6-2 to start a season twice (1995-96 & 2001-02).

It is also the Flames’ first six-game win streak since Jan. 11-Feb. 3, 2007 in the midst of a program-record 11 consecutive victories. Four of the six victories have been over 2012-13 WNIT participants (Idaho State, Miami Ohio, Texas Southern and Butler).

UIC shot 52 percent from the floor, including 60 percent (14-of-23) in the second half. UIC out-rebounded Butler 38-34 and out-scored the Bulldogs 40-24 in the paint. Stratman entered the contest averaging a team-high 16.4 points per game and was held to eight points in only 24 minutes of action.

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGANWestern Michigan (3-5) is in its second season under head coach Shane Clipfell and returns 11 players from last year’s roster. Western Michigan went 11-20 last season and earned the No. 9 seed of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Broncos defeated Eastern Michigan in the first round to advance to the second round for the first time since 2008.

The Broncos are receiving strong play from juniors Marquisha Harris (10.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg), Michelle O'Brien (9.5 ppg, 9.9 rpg), Jazmine Windham (10.3 ppg) and A.J. Johnson (9.4 ppg). Sophomore forward Miracle Woods averaged 21.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks over the first three games of the season but she has sat out the last five contests with an injury.

UIC played host to WMU last season (12/28/12) and defeated the Broncos, 66-58, at the UIC Pavilion. The Flames began the second half with a 24-6 run after trailing by one point heading into the break. Terri Bender scored 16 points while junior Rachel Story had 16 points and seven assists. Emily Kobel also recorded double figures with 13 points, going 3-of-5 from behind the arc.

FLAMES DOMINATING THE PAINT The strong play of Ruvanna Campbell, Katie Hannemann, Emily Kobel and Megan Wallace this season has allowed UIC to dominate opponents inside the paint. UIC ranks first in the Horizon League in rebounding margin (+8.6), offensive rebounds (16.5 per game) and blocked shots (3.1 per game). The Flames are grabbing nearly half of their own misses with a league-leading offensive rebound percentage of .420.

UIC’s strong inside play has helped the Flames score an average of 73.0 points per contest, good for second in the Horizon League behind Wright State (78.7 ppg). The Flames averaged 59.8 points per game over the first eight games of last season. UIC also ranks second in scoring defense (67.8 ppg), field-goal percentage (.419), field-goal percentage defense (.390) and three-point field goal percentage (.350).

UIC IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGSUIC ranks in the top 100 nationally in many statistical categories. The Flames are 34th in rebounding margin (+8.6), 59th in three-point field-goal percentage (.350) and 90th in scoring offense (73.0).

CAMPBELL EARNS AWARD FROM COLLEGE SPORTS MADNESSRedshirt sophomore Ruvanna Campbell had 14 points and 10 rebounds at Butler to record her Horizon League-leading sixth double-double of the season. She was named The Horizon League “Player of the Week" by College Sports Madness for her performance.

Campbell has made an immediate impact at UIC after sitting out the 2012-13 season due to NCAA transfer rules. The 6-foot-3 forward has averaged 15.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks over the first eight games of the season.

In the Horizon League, Campbell ranks first in rebounds, second in blocks, second in offensive rebounds (4.0 per game), third in field-goal percentage (.517), eighth in steals and tenth in scoring. Campbell owns two 20-point efforts this season and has been in double-figures in every game.

Campbell had career highs of 24 points and 18 rebounds against Ohio and became the first UIC player to grab 18 rebounds since Dejeanette Flournoy on March 6, 2005 against Green Bay during the Horizon League Tournament. Campbell’s 18 rebounds, 10-of-12 shooting (.833) and three blocks against Ohio are all Horizon League highs. She also had three blocks at Northwestern (Nov. 10).

Campbell sat out the entire 2012-13 season due to NCAA transfer rules. She spent one year with La Salle (2011-12) and ranked as the Atlantic 10's top freshmen rebounder (7.6) and shot blocker (1.5). Campbell started 25 games for the Explorers and averaged 28.2 minutes per game.

FLAMES UNDEFEATED WITH STORYSenior Rachel Story led UIC in scoring last season and ranked sixth in the Horizon League at 15.6 points per game. While she missed the first two games of this season, Story once again leads UIC in scoring at 18.8 points per game. The Flames are undefeated (6-0) with Story in the lineup.

Story ranks fourth in the conference in scoring, second in three-pointers made (2.5 per game), second in minutes played (37.5 per game), third in three-point field goal percentage (.441) and eighth in free-throw percentage (.773). Story, The Horizon League's “Player of the Week" on Nov. 25, owns two 20-point efforts this season and 13 in her UIC career.

Story had 15 second-half points and finished with a team-high 17 at Butler. She has been in double-figures in nine straight contests dating back to last season.

Story’s five three-pointers against both SIUE (Nov. 20) and Miami (Nov. 23) are a career high. She was 5-of-6 from three-point land (.833) against Miami, which ranks is the conference’s second most efficient performance.

HANNEMANN CLEANS UP THE GLASSRedshirt senior Katie Hannemann averaged 6.9 rebounds a game last season and has continued her excellence on the glass as she ranks sixth in The Horizon League with 9.0 rebounds per contest. Additionally, she ranks fourth in the conference in offensive rebounds (3.4 per game).

Hannemann, who scores 14.0 points per contest, ranks fourth in the conference in field goal percentage (.500) and is shooting a career-high .741 from the free throw line. She had 16 points and eight rebounds at Butler and has been in double-figures in seven consecutive contests. Hannemann owns three double-doubles this season and eight in her career.

Hannemann tied a career high by pulling down 15 rebounds against Idaho State (Nov. 15). She reached the 700 point milestone at Butler and needs 146 more points this season to enter the program’s Top 20 scorers. Hannemann (417 career rebounds) is also on pace to enter the program’s Top 10 rebounders.

BENDER SHINES AT POINT GUARDSophomore Terri Bender had an outstanding rookie season as she started 23 games at point guard for UIC last year. This year, Bender ranks second in the Horizon League in steals (2.4 spg) and 10th in assists (3.1 apg).

Bender is scoring 8.0 points per contest after averaging 6.3 per game last season. She has hit five of her last nine attempts from beyond the arc. Bender set a career-high at Butler with six steals, which ranks as The Horizon League’s second best effort.

Bender stood as the only Horizon League freshmen to average more than 6.3 points, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 2012-13. She also ranked in the top four in all three categories among League rookies.

KOBEL FROM DOWNTOWN Senior Emily Kobel has made 83 appearances over her four-year career and is on the cusp of entering the UIC record books. She made two-three pointers at Butler (103 career made three-pointers) and needs four more three-pointers to enter the program’s Top 10.

This season, Kobel has started all eight contests and is averaging a career-high 8.0 points per game. She ranks 11th in the conference with 1.8 three-pointers made per contest. Kobel’s 16-point performance against St. Xavier (Nov. 8) is one shy of her career high (17 vs. Detroit - 2/23/13).

Kobel has also averaged 1.3 steals and 4.8 rebounds over 31.8 minutes per game. Kobel had averaged 2.1 rebounds per contest in her career entering this season.

HANNEMANN AND STORY EARN PRESEASON HONORS; UIC PICKED FORTHKatie Hannemann and Rachel Story were voted Preseason First Team All-Horizon League. Additionally, UIC received three first-place votes in the poll and was picked to finish fourth in the Horizon League's preseason poll by the League's head coaches, SIDs and media members.

Both Hannemann and Story had stellar years in 2012-13. Hannemann was voted Second Team All-League while Story was selected to the All-Newcomer squad. The duo combined to average nearly 30 points per game and led the Flames in scoring in 24 of their 29 regular season contests.

TWO NEW ASSISTANT COACHESUIC head coach Regina Miller added two new assistant coaches to the program over the summer. Eric Simpson, who served as the head coach at Loyola the past four seasons, and Tiffany Sardin, a Chicago native and three-year captain for the University of Virginia, joined the coaching staff in July 2013.

Simpson guided Loyola to their first-ever Horizon League Championship game this past March. The Chicago native and graduate of Northwestern (1994) spent the last seven years at Loyola, including the final four seasons as head coach, where he compiled a record of 57-66 (.463).

Sardin spent last season on the Mt. Olive College coaching staff. As an assistant coach at Mt. Olive, Sardin helped the Trojans compile an 18-12 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Championship, marking their second-ever postseason berth.